Casting apparatus



Dec. 1, 1931. J LE MAY 1,834,101

' CASTING APPARATUS Filed March 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- Dec. 1, 1931. LE 1,834,101

' CASTING APPARQTUS Filed March 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN LE MAY, 0]? AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR T0 AURORA METAL COMPANY, IN- CORPORATEID, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CASTING APPARATUS Application fi led March 22, 1930. Serial No. 438,188.

This invention relates to improvements in casting apparatus, and, more especially, such apparatus for casting metals and using either a vacuum or pressure for forcing the metal into the mold or die. For the purpose of illustration, I have here shown the use of a vacuum, although it is obvious that with but slight changes and modifications, air pressure could be used.

Among the features of my invention is the provision of an improved receiver or container for the die; and improved assembly stands or die-supporting apparatus, permitting the use of a plurality of dies and removable bottoms for one receiver, permitting the simultaneous opening of one die and filling of another, thus speeding up the casting operations and lessening the cooling of the receiver between such operations.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of improved automatic means for operating the vacuum valve to exhaust the air from the receiver at exactly the right time, thus insuring accuracy and uniformity in the filling of the die at each casting operation.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of an improved die receiver with a removable bottom adapted to be detached by an improved assembly stand, said bottom of the receiver taking with it the die from the receiver and acting as a support for the die while said bottom is held on the assembly stand.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of'an improved separable die or mold provided with a compartment or riser above the mold cavity for an extra supply of metal to compensate for any shrinkage that might occur after the supply has frozen in the nozzle or after the metal has ceased to flow into the die for any other reason.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of a multi-part or separable die especially adapted for casting articles with sharp and accurate shoulders. To this end, the die is constructed in several pieces to provide partings at the exterior angles of the castin There is thus formed ad acent each shoul er a minute crack in the die through which some air is exhausted as the metal is forced or drawn up into the mold. This causes the metal to fill out the corners and make sharp and accurate shoulders. The surface tension of the metal is high and it is difficult to make the metal run into sharp corners unless the air is being exhausted therefrom. Air trapped in an angle expands from the heat of the metal and blows the metal back or travels along the surface, producing a wormy appearance. This trapping of air is prevented in my improved die by providing a separable die with a parting or separation wherever a shoulder is to be formed, thus producing a crack adjacent each shoulder to permit escape of air at such angles.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as I proceed with my specification.

In that form of apparatus embodying the features of my invention shown in the accompanying .drawings Figure 1 and l constitute a view in perspective, showing two assembly stands on a bench, a die, die receiver, hoist, conveyor, furnace, automatic vacuum valve and related parts; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a receiver with a die therein; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the receiver showing the bottom removed; Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the bottom of the receiver with the nozzle therein; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the automatic vacuum valve; Fig. 6 is a similar view of the assembly stand; and Fig. 7 is a top plan View of the assembly stand.-

As shown in the drawings, 10 indicates a suitable bench or other support upon which may be mounted a plurality of assembly stands (here shown as two) indicated in general by l1, l1.

Numeral 12 indicates an air-hoist supported by a suitable carriage or trolley 13 operating on an overhead track 14. The air hoist includes the usual supporting or piston rod 15 carrying on its lower end the receiver or container 16 for the die indicated in general by 17. The receiver 16 is provided with a removable bottom 18 upon which the die rests and in this bottom there is supported the nozzle 19, the lower end of which is dip paid into the molten metal when the die is He The piston rod 15 of the hoist 12 is adapted to be operated in any well-known manner by compressed air supplied throu h 20 from an suitable source (not siown) and controlled the three-way valve 21 manually operated by the handle 22.

Numeral 23 indicates the furnace in which is contained the supply of molten metal. Numeral 24 indicates a vacuum hose communicating with any suitable tank (not shown) containing air at reduced pressure, or less than atmospheric.

The hose 24 communicates with the interior 25 of the receiver 16 (see Fig. 2) and is controlled by the automatic valve 26 which,

in turn, is operated by the lever 27. The furnace 23 is provided with two vertically-arranged standards or supports 28, 28 having notches 28* adapted to adjustably support a cross bar 29.

.In the operation of the apparatus with a die in place in the receiver, the carriage 13 is moved on the track 14 until the receiver is above the opening 23 in the furnace 23. The rod 15 is then lowered by manual operation of the lever 22. The bar 29 is arranged at the correct height so that when the nozzle 19 enters the molten liquid to the correct depth,

the lever 27 on the automatic vacuum valve 26 engages the bar 29 to open the valve 26 so that air in the space 25 inside of the receiver 16 will be exhausted through the pipe 24. This serves to withdraw air from the'interior of the die, causing the molten metal to be sucked up through the nozzle into the die to fill the mold cavity.

I prefer to provide a plurality of dies, and bottoms 18 for the receiver, with their nozzles. When the die has been filled, the hoist is raised and the carriage 13 moved back to bring the receiver 16 over one of the assembly stands 11 on the bench 10. One of these assembly stands is shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7. Each includes a circular supporting ring 11 on which is rotatably mounted a ring or collar 11 provided with a hexagonal socket 11. The collar 11 may be provided with a plurality of radial handles 11 to assist in rotating the same on the support 11.

Each bottom 18 for the receiver 16 is fastened into the same by the external threads 18 co-operating with the internal threads 18 in the lower end of the receiver and is removable therefrom by rotation of the bottom to disengage such threads. To permit such rotation, each bottom 18 is provided with a hexagonal nut 18 adapted to be engaged by the hexagonal socket 11 in the collar 11 of one of the assembly stands,

Afterthe-receiver has been moved to a position over an assembly stand, the hoist is lowered to permit the receiver to rest on the the pipe assembly stand with the nut 18' of its bottom in the socket 11. The collar 11 is then rotated to release the bottom from the receiver, whereupon the receiver proper (without its bottom) is lifted by means of the hoist 12 to leave the bottom on the assembly stand with the die thereon. The die is then opened and the casting removed. By providing a plurality of bottoms and dies, one bottom and die may be in position on the assembly stand, and the casting removed from the die by one operator, while another operator is moving the receiver with another bottom and die therein, over to the furnace to be filled. In Fig. 1, there is shown to the left on the bench 10 an empty assembly stand with the receiver above it, said receiver having a bot tom in place. To the right is shown another assembly stand, on which there is supported another bottom for the receiver with a die 17 thereon. After the casting has been removed from a die, the parts of the die are again assembled on one of the bottoms 18, the receiver proper lowered over it and the bottom again screwed into place, whereupon the receiver may be again raised, taking the bottom and die with it, and moved over to the furnace for another casting operation,

as heretofore explained.

The nozzle 19 is preferably removably mounted in the bottom 18, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and held in place by set screws 30, to permit easy removal of the nozzle for repair and replacement purposes.

I shall now describe more in detail the die 17. Merely for purposes of illustration, I have here shown the die adapted for casting a cylindrical shaped body, slug or roller. A casting of this shape will serve to bring out the particular features of my invention; although it is obvious that the features of the invention may equally Well be applied to dies adapted for casting other shaped bodies.

The die is made of three parts, a lower disc 17, a cylindrical wall 17 b and a cover 17 The mold cavity is indicated b 17 in Fig. 2. The parts 17 and 17 are provi ed with circular ridges 17 fitting in co-operating circular grooves in the part 17 to hold the various parts of the die in position and alinement. The lower portion 17 a of the die is provided with a central filling aperture 17 in alinement with the hole 19? in the nozzle 19. In order to hold the holes in alinement, the lower surface of the part 17 a is preferably provided with a circular recess to accommodate the upper end of the nozzle 19, as indicated by 19",

said end projecting a short distance above the upper surface of the bottom piece 18.

The upper piece 17 of the (lie is provided with a central aperture 17 which forms a compartment or riser above the mold cavity for an extra supply of metal to compensate for any shrinkage that might occur after the supply has frozen in the nozzle, or after the metal has ceased to flow into the die cavity for any other reason. The upper end of the compartment 17 is covered, but not .airtight, by the disc or plate 31 on the lower end of the rod 32 which is yieldingly pressed downwardly by the spring 33 in the cavity 34 in the lower end of the rod 15 into the extreme lower end of which the rod 32 is telescoped. See Fig. 2.

The disc 31, pressed downwardly on the top of the die, also serves to hold the parts thereof together and in position in the receiver 16.

It is to be particularly noted that the cylindrical shaped body to be cast has two shoulders and one of the features of my invention is the making of a die that will cast these shoulders sharply and accurately. This is accomplished by making a three-part die, as shown, and providing a separation between the parts or cracks adjacent these shoulders to be formed as indicated by 17 It is to be understood that the parts of the die do not fit together to make airtight joints. Consequently, when air is exhausted from the receiver 25, air will escape or be sucked through the joints or cracks between the die parts, thus preventing trapping of air in the corners or angles of the cavity 17 where the corners of the casting are to he formed.

This withdrawal of the air from these cornerscauses the metal to fill out the corners and make sharp and accurate shoulders on the completed casting.

The details of the valve 26 are shown in Fig. 5. It will be seen that the operating lever 27 is pivoted at 27 and, when raised, pushes up the valve stem 36, lifting the valve 37. against pressure of the spring 38 from the seat 39, thus establishing communication between the ports 40 and 41 to permit air to be withdrawn through the pipe 24. Numeral 42 indicates a stop on the end of the lever 27 to limit its downward movement.

While I have shownand described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be able part to able die receiver, having a removable bottom means for suspending and transporting the receiver; a nozzle carried by the bottom; means for removing the bottom from the receiver with a die supported thereon; and means for exhausting air from the receiver. 3. Casting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the removable bottom is disengaged from the receiver by rotative movement, and in which the means for removing the bottom includes a rotatable part on a suitable support adapted to engage and support said bottom with co-operating means on the bottom and rotatable part to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

4. Casting apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the removable bottom is disengaged from the receiver by rotative movement, and in which the means for removing the bottom includes a rotatable part on a suitable support adapted to engage said bottom with cooperating means on the bottom and rotatprevent relative rotation therebetween.

5. Casting apparatus, including: a die; a portable die receiver with a removable bottom, said bottom capable of supporting the die in the receiver; and a support for the bottom, with means thereon coacting with the bottom, for removing the same from the die receiver.

6. Casting apparatus, including: a plurality of dies; a die receiver with a plurality of removable bottoms therefor, each of said bottoms capable of supporting a die in the receiver; and a plurality of supports for said bottoms, each having means thereon adapted to co-act with a bottom, for removing the same from the die receiver.

. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 20 day of March, 1930. JOHN LE MAY.

understood that it is capable of manymodi 1. Casting apparatus, including: a portable die receiver, having a removable bottom adapted to support a die in the receiver; means for suspending and transporting the receiver; means for removing the bottom from the receiver with a die supported thereon;" and means for exhausting air from the receiver. a

2. Casting apparatus, including: a port- 

